Thrillers are the bread and butter for many writers nowadays. Not to forget the twisted ideas which have come forward in the form of the book. Some exciting and some monotonous. Author Bhaskaryya Deka in his book "The Unwanted Shadow" has tried to imbibe some crucial elements of thrill and mystery and deliver the goods. So does it work? Let's find out.
Mohan, a small town boy, is nothing but hopeful when he moves to Delhi to complete his education. After all, this is what he had always planned to do, to take a leap towards his big dreams. And for once he finds his new life to be absolutely lovely, like he has often pictured it would be.
But this good phase doesn’t last long. His life is soon shattered to pieces when his first relationship meets a tragic end. A sadness like he had never known before overwhelms him, keeping him wide awake at nights. But it is just the beginning, beginning to a terrible chain of events that would lead him to a deadly confrontation with his own dark past.
Will Mohan be able to overcome this darkness? Will he ever get solace? Or will his innocence be lost in the intense colour of blood?
First look at the title and the cover and one can co-relate it to be a shadowy mystery thriller. But appearances sometimes are mistaken and so is the case with this book. The cover image is quite pale though it wants to create an eerie atmosphere it fails to do so. The blurb talks about a man and how his life takes a u-turn when he ends up on the wrong side. The blurb asks staunch questions and keeps the guessing mode on.
The story starts off from a village where Mohan lives along with his family. But when he opts out to move out of the house for his dreams and ambitions his father stands tall between him and his life. He pays no heed as life suddenly leaps out of his hands and gives him setbacks which take time to heal. Once he moves out unceremonious things await him in Delhi where he learns the tricks of the trade. So will Mohan ever be able to come out of the reverie? What's in store for him in the fast paced city life? Is it love or something which works overtime to make the going tougher? A lot of questions to which the answers are present in the story.
The story is a casual affair with a laid back narration. It works fine and the sudden momentum it gains takes the story forward. The change in the tone and tempo maintains the sanctity of the entire idea. The turning point being the striking aspect. It gives a scope to the entire narration through it's change of tracks. The language simple and narration on a much simpler path.
The downside of the story is it's first half which fails to ignite interest. The laid back narration in the second half and abrupt introduction of certain events without any relevant reference to the past gives it an out of the blue feeling. The build up taking a long time and vivid details which could have captured the entire essence more beautifully.
All in all the story casually nudges along and puzzles with sudden changes. The casualness suited for sometime and later on changing gears. Few ideas have been implemented with goodness and gore but not with panache and command. The concept could have been dealt with more seriousness and strong vocabulary. A story with reluctance and good coverage to the mystery and few thrills to catch readers off guard.
RATINGS:
3 OUT OF 5
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